LBS Recommendations

When ever a beginner asks for advice on buying a bike one of the first things that is suggested is that they go to a good LBS (Local Bike Shop). So this would seem to be an appropriate place to recommend a good LBS in your area. So to kick off I can recommend the Bicycle Works, Biketrax and Freewheelin' Cycles in Gorgie. Those are all in Edinburgh.

In Aberdeen I would suggest Alpine Bikes, I haven't tried their other branches so can't comment on them.

Great service, friendly people - they saved me once when one of my tyres exploded in fairly spectacular fashion by opening up the shop early and fitting the new tyre for me while I got warm again (it was December!) Bought my Giant from them and was very impressed by their willingness to answer daft questions, let me try bikes out, and it was set up very well for me to ride away when I took delivery.

Manchester: Bicycle Boutique (No Website)
Offers a reasonably priced repair service (eg a fiver for puncture repair including new inner tube). Same day servicing. New/second hand bikes from £60. A small, reasonably priced range of parts and tools (including tyres, inner tubes, puncture kits, lights, locks and multi-tools etc) The Bicycle Boutique is situated in a small shop next to the Sugden Sports Centre.

Going to have to look at the Bicycle Boutique - I'm blooming in the All Saint's campus weekly - I work for MMU !!

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Heh They're nice guys - they don't stock a lot of high end stuff, as the bulk of the clientele is students, but they'll order anything they or their cycle factor can get their hands on. They had a decent Cheshire routes guide in not too long ago too.

Half the fun of going there is seeing the other customers' bikes too - they had the most beautiful steel Pinarello in one time I went down there...

None of the people that work there are 'sales people' so can come across as a bit ?(don't really know the right word for it, but a bit offish) but they are all bikers, who know how bikes work and whats good for what. And they have some lovely machines in there if you have a spare 4k... but still do cheap (but not rubbish) bikes as well.

The Edge Cycleworks in Lancaster, really friendly helpful staff and they will spend ages with you to make sure they get you on the right bike, size and all... Also happy to let you have a test ride and will assess your position on the bike while you are testriding...Unfortunately more of a BS than an LBS for me...